
Dissociative Identity Disorder
Multiple Personality Disorder (Dissociative Identity Disorder) is the
existence within a person of two or more distinct personalities. The different
personalities are referred to as �alters�. Alters may have experienced a distinct
personal history, self-image, and identity, including a separate name, as well as
age. At least two of these personalities recurrently take control of the person�s
behavior. There are a few typical types of alters that they multiple would produce
such as a depressed, exhausted host, a strong, angry protector, a scared, hurt
child, a helper, and an internal persecutor who blames one or more of the alters
for the abuse they have endured. Sometimes patterned or named after the actual
abuser.
Individuals most likely to develop MPD share several common factors. 
They have endured repetitive, and often life-threatening abuse during a
developmental stage of childhood. The type of abuse can vary or be a
combination of physical, extreme emotional, sexual or Satanic Ritual Abuse. How
a multiple creates their own inner families is as individual as each person. Even
though symptoms vary from person to person, there are some basic
consistencies. 
First one is voices. Multiples do hear voices, but are merely the
personalities within, communicating with one another. Often times, the MPD is
diagnosed as a schizophrenic due to �hear voices,� but the multiple personality
hears the voices inside their head in contrast to the schizophrenic which hears
them from outside of themselves. Often a multiple before diagnosis will speak of
noise or clatter inside making it difficult for them to concentrate. It is possible for
the multiple to hear many distinct and separate voices, of all ages talking at the
same time
Another symptom is physical differences. Each alter within a multiple has
their own history, personalities that are unique to them, body movements, facial
expressions, the way they express verbal communication, voice tone, pitch, and
even handwriting differences. You might encounter a small child who hides her
face and speaks in a childlike voice. Another child within the same system of
personalities might be gregarious and charming.
Finally, there is time loss. Time loss is quite common in the non-conscious
multiple. For the non-conscious multiple the time losses can be devastating. 
Time loss can occur when something triggers an alter that the host is unaware of. 
The non-conscious multiple might find themselves in a place or talking to
someone they don�t even know. The length and duration of the time loss
depends on how the multiple�s system works and if a more dominant personality
can remain in control. There is a bit of time loss on occasion even for the
co-conscious multiple, but usually amounting to only brief periods.
Multiples, as well as those who deal with them, come to recognize different
alters as completely separate people, rather than just different aspects of the
same person. The different personalities usually have different names, ages,
gender, likes and dislikes. Certain alters may have physical or mental abilities
that the others do not possess. Often there is a difference in body language,
speech and mannerisms. Some multiples have an alter that changes the color of
the eyes, while others have been known to have one alter with cancer, diabetes,
etc., while all the other alters remain healthy or have their own ailments. While
most multiples have alters who are very similar to one another, the difference can
be so minute, that at times, even the multiples themselves might have a difficult
time distinguishing the difference.
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